OK so I got accepted into UCLA for linguistics & computer science (its a combined major) and it’s exactly what I wanted. It’s perfect. BUT I’d have to take out around 10,000 per year, plus do work study, plus get a parent to take out a loan (and I dont really want to do that to my parent).
And at UCI, well, I got into Computer Science (which is good) but they don’t have a linguistics program established yet (its coming soon). And as for my fa situation there, it’s only about 5k a year in loans (and i dont have to do work study or make my parent pay a dime)…
so what i’m asking is, what do y’all think I should do? I’m leaning towards UCI obviously but idk I just need confirmation. Is my fa at UCLA not as bad as I think?? They also offer the exact major that I wanted…
You seem to really want to go to UCLA. If I were you, I’d try to consult the financial aid office before making a decision. Show them your tuition at UCI, and say a more eloquent variant of “I’d go to UCLA if I could pay ____. Please match Irvine’s offer”.
If they don’t lower your tuition, I really don’t think the loans are worth it. Graduating with that much debt can really cripple you for a while. (And isn’t there a limit on government loans? Please don’t get a private loan. They really try to rip people off.)
Also, I don’t think work study is a bad thing. Having worked in college looks good on your resume. Job opportunities or internships will probably come up in your college junior year. If you apply, you’ll be pitted against people who have had jobs throughout high school and in college, and who already have connections and recommendations. Having a blank resume probably won’t look too great, even if you come from a school like UCLA or UCI.
Congrats on your acceptances though; those are some pretty great schools.
I agree that UCI is the better option given the financial situation. Computer Science at UCI is strong and it’s a challenging major. To get a better sense of what you are getting into, try loan repayment calculators – e.g. what are your payments over ten years for $40K plus whatever your parents would be paying.